Selected Scriptures Jan 1, 2017
On this very first Sunday of 2017 I want to take just a few minutes to share with you a spiritual life assessment. This seems to be the time of year when a lot of us do this; we take a good look at our life, where we’re at, where we find ourselves spiritually, and determine what, if any changes need to be made.
So today, I want to share a simple assessment which is not my own, but comes from a book by Tim Keller called Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy With God. In a nutshell, Keller draws an analogy between a boat and the condition of our souls. As we go through this list, think about which category you fall into right now.
Are you…
1. sailing. When a sailboat has the wind at its back, making progress is easy. Spiritually-speaking, we ‘sail’ when bible reading and prayer come naturally, we feel God using us in the lives of people around us, and God feels present and real, we feel rested and renewed…just to name a few.
2. rowing. More often, we experience the Christian life as rowing. We make some progress, but it’s hard work. Prayer and bible reading feel more like duty and discipline. We serve God but it’s not always full of joy. We see a degree of impact in the lives of those we reach out to, but it’s slow and steady. We keep a steady course in the living out of our faith with gratitude to God for all He has done for us.
3. drifting. When we drift, we are kind of giving up on the effort to stay fresh and sharp in our relationship with God. We’re getting tired of rowing, so we let ourselves go with the current, which is usually away from God and His people. We give into self-centeredness and self-indulgent behaviors (like excessive eating, sleeping, drinking, TV, sexual practices) that we hope will fill the emptiness of soul we are feeling.
4. sinking. If we continue drifting, numbness becomes hardness as we continue to give in. We are susceptible to discouragement and defeat and tempted to give up following the Lord faithfully.
Where would you place yourself right now? If you were being completely honest with yourself, where are you at spiritually?
To put a biblical perspective on this, let’s take a look at The seasons of King David’s Soul, who provides us with a powerful illustration for each season.
1. sailing. From the time that Samuel first anointed David king as a young man, his rise to the throne was unstoppable, although slow and filled with danger. He killed Goliath with a sling and stones, he led the Israelites into numerous military victories…1 Samuel 18:5 says “Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army.” The people even wrote a song about him: “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” David was sailing.
2. rowing. But life wasn’t always so easy for David. As God gave him success, the current king Saul became jealous and tried to kill him (1 Samuel 19:10) so that he spent years as a hunted fugitive in the wilderness. Later, his own son Absalom conspired against him to make himself king (2 Samuel 15). But these were tremendous times of spiritual growth for David where he had to actively lean on the Lord, which is reflected in many of the psalms he wrote. David was rowing.
3. drifting. The worst moments of David’s life began with this sad example of drifting: In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. But David remained in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1). Instead of doing the hard work of rowing, of leading his people into battle as their King and Commander, David sends others and stays home and chills out in his palace. He takes the easy road and sets himself up for trouble.
4. sinking. Already in a weakened spiritual condition, all it took were the wrong circumstances to take him down. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (2 Samuel 11:2-4).
Although David eventually confessed and repented and was forgiven and restored, this moment of sinking profoundly affected the rest of his life (see 2 Samuel 12:10).
So we can see that David’s life illustrates all these seasons of the soul. Which season are you in right now? Where do you want to be in this new year of 2017?
Here are some ideas you can prayerfully apply today, regardless of where you are at
. 1. sailing. If the wind is at your back today, take a moment and praise God. This is a gift from Him that should be enjoyed and celebrated. But hold onto it loosely and be sure to place your hope in God, not your circumstances. Job 1:21 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. 2. rowing. If you’re rowing, then continue to be faithful. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:9
3. drifting. If you’re drifting, then God is sending you a wake up call. Returning is always a process, but if you get honest with God and seek help from another Christian you will find your way back to His heart. “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Heb. 3:12-13
4. sinking. If you’re sinking, or you’ve sunk, then the way back is the same way it was for David, confession and repentance.
Ps. 51:10-12 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Conclusion So take some time to talk to God about where your soul is at today…and where He wants it to be…and find a way forward…
And here’s one more thought: how about you invite Jesus to climb into the boat with you? He did that, you know, in Mark 6 when His disciples were rowing their boat on a lake in a heavy storm…He climbed into the boat with them and said: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down.” Mark 6:50-51.
That’s where Jesus wants to be: right there with you in your boat, in whatever season you’re in…helping you…calming your storm…being close to you…journeying with you through this new year, into the unknown future…so invite Him on board…into your life…
May God bless each of you in this new year and beyond.